Come back to this page on March 5th. From 7am on Tuesday, March 5th to 7pm on Wednesday, March 6th, donations of between $25 & $1000 made to the Sarasota Opera through the Giving Partner Website are guaranteed to be doubled!

How? An anonymous donor has pledged matching funds of up to $250,000, specifically to Sarasota Opera. During the Giving Challenge, no matter when you pledge to the Opera, your gift will be doubled.

1 x 2 x 3 . . . The Early Bird adds a Third!

Act early and your gift could be tripled! The Giving Challenge has over $400,000 available in matching funds for the entire Sarasota non-profit community.

Don’t miss this chance—the early bird gets the match! Last year, the matching money went VERY quickly. If you donate right at 7am on March 5, your generous gift to Sarasota Opera could be three times as effective!

If you have any questions, or for further information, please contact David Walker, Associate Director of Development, at (941) 366-8450, ext. 538

(Donors please note: The Giving Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to support Sarasota Opera; however, your gift through this initiative will not be considered as your annual fund STAR or Co-Producer gift)

FAQs:

Our Anonymous Donor will match all gifts 1:1 until we reach $250,000.

The Giving Partner will match all new or increased gifts 1:1 until matching funds run out.

For instance:

Gift increase: If you gave $50 to Sarasota Opera last year, as part of the Giving Challenge, and you increase your gift to $75 this year, the Giving Partner may match the $25 increase, bringing your donation to $100. Our anonymous donor will match your gift again for a total of $175.
Gift stays the same: If you donated $50 last year and donate $50 again this year, you will not be eligible for a match from the Giving Partner, but our anonymous donor will match your gift for a total of $100.
New gift: If you didn’t donate to the Opera during last year’s Giving Challenge and you give $50 this year, the Giving Partner may match your entire gift, bringing your donation to $100. Our anonymous donor will match your gift again for a total of $150.

• We can’t guarantee that the Giving Partner will match your gift (the matching funds go fast!), but we CAN guarantee that our anonymous donor will! No matter what, your gift will be doubled.

• We don’t know when matching funds will run out, but last year, they ran out only 4 minutes into the Challenge!

• Credit card donations ONLY through the Giving Challenge website. If you would like to donate checks or cash, call David Walker, Associate Director of Development, at (941) 366-8450, ext. 538 in advance, or come and see us in the Opera House lobby during the Challenge!

• Gifts given through the Giving Challenge cannot be applied to STAR or Co-Producer memberships, though you will receive special program recognition for your generous Giving Challenge gifts. All benefits are waived, as Giving Challenge gifts are 100% tax deductible and we can’t give any goods, services, or membership benefits in exchange. You will receive confirmation and tax benefit information by email directly from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The Giving Challenge is intended to provide extra benefits to Sarasota Opera that are separate from yearly membership donations.

• If you would like to give more than $1,000, please give us a call David Walker, Associate Director of Development, at (941) 366-8450, ext. 538 before the Challenge, or come and see us in the Opera lobby beginning at 7 AM on March 5.